Combined Force Detains Taliban Weapons Dealer

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2012 - In the Maidan Shahr district of Afghanistan's
Wardak province, an Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban
weapons dealer and seized 110 pounds of explosives today, military officials
reported.

The detained individual acquired and provided weapons -- including grenades,
sniper rifles and assault rifle components -- to the Taliban for use in attacks
throughout the region, officials said.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force detained one suspect and seized explosive materials while
searching for a Taliban explosives expert in the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of
Helmand province. The explosives expert constructed and planted improvised
explosive devices throughout the region.

In July 11 operations:

-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Ghazni province's Waghaz
district.

-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Logar province's Muhammad
Aghah district.

-- A combined force found and cleared four IEDs in Paktika province -- two in
the Sharan district and two in the Yosuf Khel district.

-- In the Mata Khan district of Paktika province, a combined force detained
an insurgent while investigating a weapons cache containing small arms,
ammunition and grenades.

In July 10 operations:

-- A combined force called in an airstrike that killed Omar, a Taliban
leader, and an associate in the Charkh district of Logar province. Omar served
directly under senior Taliban leaders and was known as an explosive specialist
who was directly involved in several attacks in recent months that killed
several Afghans. At the time of the operation Omar was attempting to acquire
rockets for insurgent attacks.

In July 7 operations:

-- A combined force seized a cache containing more than 22,000 pounds of
ammonium nitrate -- a material used in the construction of IEDs -- 10,827 feet
of detonation cord, and 281 sticks of dynamite in the Ghazni district of Ghazni
province. The combined force destroyed all materials in place. No civilians were
harmed during the operation.